“Your Son Will Live”

“‘Go,’ said Jesus. ‘Your son will live.’” — John 4:50

After two days in Samaria, Jesus went on into Galilee. Once again He came to the village of Cana, where He had turned the water into wine.

In the town of Capernaum, about a day’s walk away, there lived a royal official, an important man who worked for the king. And his son was very ill. He had a high fever, and he was about to die.

When the official heard that Jesus had come back to Galilee, he left his son’s bedside and hurried all the way to Cana. He found Jesus and begged Him, “Please come down to Capernaum and heal my son, before he dies!”

“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” said Jesus, “you will never believe.”

But the man didn’t give up. “Sir,” he pleaded, “please come down before my little boy dies!”

Then Jesus said, “Go. Your son will live.”

That was all. Jesus didn’t go with him. He didn’t see the boy or touch him. He just spoke.

And the man believed what Jesus said. He turned around and set off for home.

It must have been a long walk. Did the man wonder all the way whether it was really true? Did he hurry? The Bible just says that he took Jesus at His word.

The next day, while he was still on the way home, some of his servants came running to meet him. “Your son is alive!” they said. “He’s getting better!”

“What time did he start to get better?” the official asked.

“The fever left him yesterday,” they said, “at one o’clock in the afternoon.”

And the father realised: that was the very same time that Jesus had said, “Your son will live.”

So the official and his whole household, everyone who lived and worked in his house, believed in Jesus.

This was the second sign that Jesus did in Galilee.

Jesus didn’t need to be in the same room to heal the boy. He didn’t even need to be in the same town! His word was enough. When Jesus says something, it happens.

The official had to trust Jesus’ word before he saw anything with his own eyes. And that’s what faith is: believing what Jesus says, even before we see it.

Read it in your Bible: John 4:43–54

Dear Jesus, thank you that your word is powerful, and that you can help people even when you’re not standing right next to them. Please help people I know who are ill. Help me to trust your word. Amen.